Latch mechanism



Jan. 21, 1941.

C. G. BAUER ET AL LATCH MECHANISM flFiled Oct. 11, 1959 Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE Highland Park, Mich, assigmors t Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application October 11, 1939, Serial No. 299,004

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a latch mechanism and more particularly to a mechanism for detachably retaining a closure member in fixed closed position.

An object of this invention is to provide a mechanism of this type which will securely retain the closure member against vibratory movement thereby preventing objectionable noises incident to the latter.

More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of this type which is particularly adapted to detachably secure the deck lid on a motor vehicle body in closed position, and to provide a mechanism which will retain the lid against vibratory movement induced by road shocks transferred to the body.

Latch mechanisms heretofore used for deck lids of motor vehicle bodies have included a swingable latch carried by the lid for detachable engagement with a fixed latch element carried by the vehicle body. The primary function of these cooperating elements was to retain the lid in its closed position. However, the present day design of vehicle bodies and especially the coup style body utilizes a lid of relatively great length and it has been found that the conventional cooperating elements of the latch mechanism do not effectively retain the lid against vibratory movement and particularly do not retain the lid against lateral movement with respect to the body.

A further object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a latch mechanism which will overcome the aforesaid difiiculties by eliminating lateral vibratory movement of the deck lid and the noises incident thereto. In carrying out the foregoing objects there is preferably provided a pair of movable latch elements carried by the deck lid for detachable engagement with a fixed element or abutment carried by the body, one of the movable elements being particularly effective when engaged with the fixed element to retain the lid in closed position, and the other of the movable elements when so engaged being effective to retain the lid against lateral movement. The movable elements are preferably controlled by a common operating member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a motor vehicle body embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a View taken as indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with a portion of the deck lid removed to show the underlying latch mechanism.

Fig, 3 is a vertical sectional view taken as indicated by the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken as indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken as indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 2.

The invention is illustrated and described in connection with a motor vehicle including the usual road wheels, one of which is shown at ID, a body ll having a rearwardly disposed portion thereof providing a storage compartment, access to which is gained by a deck lid 12 hinged at [3 to the body for swinging movement about a horizontal axis. It will be understood, of course, that the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the particular adaptation herein shown and described.

The deck lid I2 is detachably retained in its illustrated closed position by a latch mechanism including a latch element or abutment, indicated at l5, fixed to the body I l adjacent the rearwardly disposed edge of the lid i2. The member l5 has a base portion I6, a vertically extending portion I! provided with a rearwardly extending angular portion l8 spaced from the base portion l6 and providing a hook-like portion, all of which is more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

A cooperating portion of the latch mechanism is carried by the lid l2 and includes a support,

generally indicated at l9, having laterally extending oppositely disposed flanges provided with openings therein for receiving attaching means, such as bolts, by which the support is secured to the underside of the lid I2. The main body of the support I9 is channel-shaped in cross section and when attached to the lid l2 the open side of the channel is adjacent the inner surface of the lid. Pivotally attached to the bottom wall of the support l9 by a rivet 2| is a bell crank having an arm 22 provided with an upturned flange 23 having an arcuate engaging surface. Pivotally attached by pin 24 to the other arm 25 of the bell crank is a link 26 having its opposite end pivotally attached by pin 21 to an actuating arm 28. The latter is pivotally carried by the support l9, having a projection 29 extending into an opening in the bottom wall of the support, and is maintained in position by a downwardly opening channelled member 36 secured to the bottom wall of the support. The arm 28 has a square-shaped opening therein which registers with an opening in the member 30 and an opening in the wall of the support. The lid has a handle 3| provided with a square shank extending through the registering openings in the support wall, arm 28 and member 30, the shank being rotatable to effect rotation of the arm 28 and bell crank arm 22 through the link connection 26,

The arm 28 has a peripheral indentation 28' engaged by one end 32 of the spring 33 acting against a wall of the channel for yieldingly retaining the parts in the position shown. The parts are adapted to be fixed in the illustrated position and for this purpose a swingable arm 34 has an end portion extending into a second peripheral indentation 35 in the arm 28, the arm 34 being actuated by a shank 3B controlled by a locking mechanism indicated at 31.

When the parts aforesaid are in the position shown, the deck lid is latch-ed to the body and retained against movement to an open position with respect to the compartments. When it is desired to swing the lid about its horizontal axis to an open position, the shank 36 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as indicated in Fig. 2, to swing the arm 34 free from the arm 28, and the handle 3| and the shank thereof are rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, thereby swinging the arm 28 in a corresponding direction and the latter, through the connecting link 26, swings the bell crank arm 22 in a clockwise direction and in an arcuate path out of engagement with the fixed latched element or abutment [5. These cooperating latch parts are interengaged by opposite rotation of the handle 3! and shank thereof.

When the parts and 22 are engaged the lid I12 is retained against movement towards its open position. Where, however, a lid of relatively great length is used, the foregoing latch parts do not effectively retain the lid i2 against lateral movement with respect to the body and as a. result such movement sets up objectionable vibratory noises. For the purpose of eliminating lateral movement and the noises incident thereto, there is provided a second latch element 38 for detachable engagement with the fixed element or abutment [5.

The element 38 is channel-shaped in cross section, opening downwardly toward the bottom wall of the support VI 9, and is guided in its lineal movement toward and away from the element I5 by the support I9. To effect lineal movement of the element 38 in response to rotation of the element 3| and shank thereof, a connecting link 39 is provided which has one end secured to the element 38 and the other end thereof secured to the pin 21 for actuation by the arm 28. A notch 40 is formed in that edge of the element 38 adjacent the element IE to receive the latter for retaining the deck lid against lateral movement or horizontal shake. It will be understood that movement of the elements 22 and 38 to engage and disengage the element I5 is controlled by the handle 3! and shank thereof, that is when the handle and shank are rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, the arm 28 acts through the links 26 and 39 to swing the arm 22 in its arcuate path out of engagement with the element I5 and the latch. Element 38 is moved lineally away from the element 15 for disengagement therefrom. The disengaged position of the parts is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Although one embodiment of the invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention and it is not our intention to limit said invention other than by the terms of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a latch mechanism including a pair of movable elements de'tachably engageable with a fixed element, one of said elements being movable arcuately and the other thereof lineally, and having a notch therein adapted to receive at least a portion of said fixed element, a common operating member for said movable elements, a single actuating link secured directly to one of said movable elements and said common operating member, and a single actuating link secured directly to the other of said movable elements and said common operating member.

2. In a latch mechanism including :a pair of movable elements detachably engageable with a fixed member, one of said elements being movable arcuat-ely and the other thereof lineally and having a notch therein adapted .to receive at least a portion of said fixed member, a support for said movable elements having a channel portion, said lineally movable element having a channel portion guided in the channel portion of said support, a common operating member for said movable elements, a single actuating link secured directly to one of said movable elements, a single actuating link secured directly to the other of said movable elements, and a pin securing said links to said operating member whereby said links are actuated in response to actuation of said common operating member.

CLARENCE G. BAUER. ROBERT SEYFARTH. 

